Lara Croft's Latest Journey
by ExtremeRainbowRaiderPrincess
Summary: Lara Croft somehow gets to Arcadia while in search for a book in the Dark People's City. What book and why does she need that book? Find out. Also- April's journey leading up to Dreamfall. Set before Dreamfall and Tomb Raider: Legend.
1. A Glimpse

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing! Not one thing! Everything belongs to its/their respected owners. Not me. I own nothing!_**

_Prologue…April Ryan ran as fast as she could through the trees, Crow someplace close._

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_Prologue..._

She could hear the Azadi behind her as she ran, their footsteps growing closer.

She leapt over a fallen tree, her cloak flaring behind her, before she reached the ground and she continued running, the end of the forest up ahead.

_Just a little further…_ She thought, forcing herself to run faster.

"Hurry!" Crow called down to her. "They're getting closer!"

"I know that!" She yelled back up at him before reaching the end of the forest and running into a field.

With large cattle-like beasts nearby, April kept running as a strange roaring filled the air.

_It almost sounds like a motorcycle…_ She thought.

Suddenly a black object darted across the field, the driver swearing as they reached the rocky road before speeding away.

_It was! _She thought before reaching a river and diving in.

She swam downriver until reaching the shore, a cart, Chawan dressed in farmer's clothes while the creature pulling the cart snorted, waiting.

"Let's get out of here!" She whispered as she climbed into the back of the cart, waiting as Crow landed before pulling a rough blanket over both of them, staying low as Chawan steered the cart away from the river, the Azadi going after the stranger on the motorcycle instead.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Lara rode through the field in the dark, noticing the strange beasts grazing as she passed them.

_Those definitely aren't cattle. _She thought with a frown.

"Zip, are you getting this?" She asked as her only Tech Guy, and the funniest person that worked with her, typed away at one computer, the images from Lara's headset on the others as Winston stood nearby, Alistair upstairs doing some research on the world of Arcadia.

"Sure am Lara. What are those things?" He asked, referring to the cattle-like beasts.

"I don't know Zip." She said before cursing as she hit a bumpy section of the road.

Noting out of the corner of her eye a figure in the field, with several more emerging from the forest behind them, she continued on.

"I've got it!" Alistair's voice was loud as she winced, Zip and Winston glaring at him as he shouted and ran into the Tech Room.

"My apologies, but I've found where you're supposed to go." He said excitedly.

"And where might that be?" She asked, driving sharply around a slow-moving cart.

"The Dark People's City!" Alistair said, practically jumping up and down. Winston shot him a glare and he stopped.

"And what's so special about there?" Lara asked, speeding towards a city.

"They have all books ever published! Well, in their world, but they will have a copy of the book you're- We're looking for!" Alistair said, grinning.

"And how do I get there?" She asked as the city came closer by the second. _What in the world… Is that a huge tower?_ She asked herself.

"Is that a huge tower?" Zip asked, echoing her thoughts.

"It seems so." Lara said.

"Looks like another adventure." Zip said cheerfully.

"I'll go make some more coffee." Winston said, leaving.

"You never did say how I get to the Dark People's City, Alistair." She said.

"Well… Erm… That is to say…" Alistair stalled.

"Just tell us man." Zip said.

"…You have to get a ride on one of their ships, and they don't let strangers go to the city usually…" He said meekly. "I'm so sorry!" He wailed, falling to his knees. "Please forgive me!"

Lara sighed. "We've been through this Alistair- I'm not going to fire you just because I have to do some extra work."

Alistair stopped. "You're not? Oh thank God!" He said, scrambling to his feet.

She sighed. _It's going to be a long night…_ She thought.

* * *

Chawan struggled to keep control of the beast pulling the cart as April heard the motorcycle speed by.

"What is that thing? Some sort of Azadi machine?" Crow asked.

April shook her head. "No, at least, I hope not. They're called 'motorcycles' where I come from." She said as Crow shook his head.

"Man, you have some weird things on your planet." He said.

She nodded. "Tell me about it."

"Don't mind if I do." Crow said cheerfully as she winced.

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_Why am I the first one to write a story for this crossover? It's a natural crossover!!! Review if you want, don't if you don't. Thank you for reading this story and this note. And thank you to those who put up with my strange updates._


	2. Three Days Earlier

_Disclaimer: I own Trish, Alex, Pete, and any other OC in this chapter. I don't own April or anyone else- They belong to their respected owners._

_A/N: Seriously- This is a good crossover idea. If you haven't played __The Longest Journey__, __Dreamfall__, or __Tomb Raider: Legend__, then you'll probably be a little confused, but a lot will be explained over time._

* * *

_Three Days Earlier…_

Lara entered the tech room as Trish and Zip watched something on the computer monitor, both of them frowning with their arms crossed as Alistair stood behind them, covering his face with one hand as he shook his head.

"Awful. Absolutely dreadful." Alistair said, sounding suspiciously like Simon from _American Idol_.

"You always say that- And then Trish starts ranting and Winston-" Zip started to say when Winston ran onto the scene, wielding a broom while wearing a bicycle helmet on his head.

"Back! Back I say! Back!" Winston said, sounding like a whiny dog as he kept poking the mysterious door on the one side of the Tech Room.

"Winston," Lara said, getting his attention, "it's a door."

Winston's eyes widened as he looked at the broom in his hands before looking at the door. "You're right…" He said before running from the room.

Lara winced, worried about Winston, as Trish shook her head before speaking. "Lara- You have to see this. Alistair says it's all just cheap magic- But I think it's real."

Lara came around the curved desk and looked at the monitor. It was the background of that monitor, which was a shot of Alistair acting really hyper after eight cups of black coffee, Trish and Zip in the background as they chased him. Winston had taken the photo.

"Zip- I get that you consider modern art beautiful, and so do I, but this is a little… Bizarre, to say the least." Lara said slowly.

"No! Not that!" Zip said, moving the cursor over a small screen in the corner, pressing a button before the monitor went black. He then pressed another button, starting the movie.

The camera was jerky first, as a lot of people were heard speaking, before the view turned around, facing the person taking the video- A young man with golden hair and hazel eyes. He had his arm around the shoulders of a tall man with brown hair, olive green eyes, and glasses.

"Today is the 21st birthday of my good friend Alex." The blonde man said, nodding at the brunette. "This guy here."

"Pete not again. Turn the camera off." Alex said, smiling but looking away from the camera.

"Why?" The blonde asked, turning the camera back to the room full of talking people. "You're only at a bar with fifty of your closest friends-" He stopped talking as the room, and the camera, started to shake; the lights flickering as glass could be heard breaking.

"Everyone stay calm!" Alex shouted. "It's probably just a minor earthquake!"

But it was worse than that.

A golden knee-high light appeared in the center of the room, growing brighter before it flared, people screaming as some fled while others stayed and watched.

A young woman dressed in all-black with short brown hair and bright blue eyes appeared, a crow on her shoulder while a figure in a black cloak followed close behind her.

"Wrong turn!" The first woman yelled, turning and pushing the one in the cloak back into the light before the light, the two people, and the crow vanished.

There was nervous chatter before Pete spoke.

"Dude- That was freaky." He said before the video ended.

"That can't be real." Alistair blurted out within seconds.

"Yes, it can!" Trish snapped at him.

"If it wasn't- That was one good birthday party. If it was- Then it looks like we've got some work on our hands." Zip said.

They all looked at Lara.

"Mm… Alistair-" Alistair's shoulders drooped, "-See if you can find out if something like this has ever happened before. I want to know everything about this- If it is real."

Alistair sighed. "Fine Lara- But I'm only agreeing to this because I want to prove that it is fake." Alistair said, shooting Zip a glare before leaving the room.

Zip glared after Alistair before Lara spoke again. "Zip- Find out whose birthday party that was and contact the people that were there. Find out if any of them recognized the woman."

"Got it." Zip said, taking a seat at another monitor and keyboard before getting to work.

Lara and Trish left the Tech Room, Trish's hair still bleach blonde after the incident in Prague.

"Trish- Contact Kurtis. Find out if he knows anything about this. Also- I need you to pick up a book for me." Lara said as Trish nodded.

"All right. What's the name of this book, Lara?" Trish asked as she stopped at the foot of the stairs, Lara going upstairs.

"The name doesn't matter. You'll find it in care of Professor Daniel Melroy- A mathematician at a Los Angeles university." Lara explained before walking down the open hall to the door leading to her bedroom. "Pack light for the trip- You won't be in L.A. long." Lara said before the door closed.

Trish rolled her eyes, checking her digital watch before grabbing her gray and red leather jacket off a chair, pulling it on before pulling her leather backpack and gloves on.

"Be careful Trish- I have a bad feeling about this adventure." Winston said, appearing from behind a statue.

Trish nodded, her motorcycle helmet in her hands. "I will be careful Winston. If you don't get a phone call from me in the next day- Get them to drop the case and send Kurtis and Dominic to find me."

Winston nodded. "I will Trish." He said, his hands behind his back.

Trish narrowed her eyes. "Winston- What have you got in your hands?" She asked him.

"Oh… Nothing…" Winston said, smiling innocently.

Trish didn't believe him, but she just shook her head slightly and smiled. "All right. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone."

Winston nodded. "Got it- I mean- What trouble would I ever get into?" He asked, looking around.

Trish laughed as she walked past him. "That's the spirit." She said before opening one of the grand doors and stepping out, closing it behind her.

Within moments Winston and Zip could hear Trish start her royal blue Sazuki Katana motorcycle up before driving away from the manor.

Winston grinned deviously before giving a battle cry, making Zip raise an eyebrow, before Winston ran at the mysterious door, armed with…

…Disinfectant spray.

Zip sighed. "Great- Definitely means we've got a new adventure."

* * *

_Arcadia..._

April Ryan struggled to sleep. She was in her bed at the Journey Man Inn, but something was wrong.

As she flinched in her sleep thanks to nightmares, only one thing was on her mind…

Suddenly April sat up, whispering only one word:

"Dragons."

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Yes! Another update done! Give me credit- Two updates in a short period of time? That's a record for me.


	3. Memories And Old Friends

_**Disclaimer: I own the OC's and nothing else.**_

**_Author's Note: Thank you for reading! :)_**

**_One last thing: This has minor spoilers for an as-of-late unwritten segment of Shatter, so you have been warned._**

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Trish laced up the backs of her violet leather gloves as she crossed the dark tarmac leading to the jet that would take her to New York City, where a second jet would be waiting to take her to California.

"Miss Saes!" A man called as Trish looked up, stopping.

_Oh man. Not now. I look like I just got out of bed! _Trish thought in alarm. Truthfully, she looked great, but Mr. Colt Xander was the one man on the entire planet that made Trish want to wear a dress. Why? Because around him she felt…

…Pretty.

"Mr. Xander," Trish regained her composure, tugging on her gloves one last time as she continued crossing the tarmac, "what a pleasant surprise. I take it that Lara contacted you with the news of my travel plans?"

Colt and Trish were walking side-by-side now, Trish coming up to his shoulders. He was very tall. Tall, dark, and handsome actually fit the description for him.

Colt laughed, a deep, rich sound. "I wish. No, actually I was sent by orders of the Queen herself to retrieve an artifact from a museum in New York and when I saw you in that hideous winter coat of yours in the terminal…"

Trish gasped. "What's wrong with my coat?" She had changed from her leather riding jacket into a long violet coat with faux fur trim around the hood. Ah, the magic of the backpacks she, Lara, and Kurtis carried. They were never ending.

Colt chuckled. "Nothing, if you don't mind looking like a giant flower."

Trish 'hmmphed', and turned her face away from him. "Well, that hurts." She said in a pained tone of voice.

Colt looked at her and sighed, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and hugging her closer to him. "You look amazing Patricia." He said softly.

Trish blushed, grateful for the darkness. "Thank you, Colt." She whispered.

"_You're blushing again,"_ Zip reminded her over her earpiece as they reached the steps onto the jet.

Trish gritted her teeth as they stopped before Colt gave her one of his incredible smiles.

"Ladies first," he said with a sweep of his arm.

"Thank you," Trish said, smirking as she climbed the steps onto the jet.

Colt waited a moment until she was out of sight. "You certainly can charm a man with one of your smiles," he muttered.

"WHAT?!" Colt winced at the shout on the other end of his earwig.

"All right all right, just calm down," another voice added as Colt rolled his eyes before boarding the jet too.

Soon the jet was taking off, and then in the air.

Trish had been seated on one side of the plane in the business section while Colt was on the other side of the plane… In First Class, of course.

_Posh, show-off, arrogant, stupid, handsome, charming, funny, sweet, nice, alarming…_ Trish was naming all of the adjectives she could think of for him as she flipped through a magazine, the person in the seat next to her an elderly woman who was fast asleep. _Thank God for that!_ She thought.

"_Long flight ahead of us, huh?"_ Zip asked her over her earpiece as she raised an eyebrow. _"Oh yeah, I forgot you don't like to respond to comments made over the headset when around other people. Well, tell Colt I said hello," _Zip said, _"if you're not too busy flirting with him." _He added in a mutter as Trish turned red, blushing profusely.

This was going to be a long flight.

* * *

April awoke again, finally in the daylight, with a sigh before climbing from bed. She performed her usual morning routine, which consisted of getting dressed, eating some breakfast, and dodging another lecture from Benrime, before heading into Azadi central, also known as Arcadia.

April sighed as she walked. _I just wish I could have saved them from this life of imprisonment. If only-_

_April!_ Something called out as April stopped.

"What was that?" April murmured, looking around.

Haphazardly, a Bandu person stumbled by, obviously heading back towards the magic sector. How the Bandu person got out of the magic sector without the Azadi guards noticing, April didn't know. What she did know was that the Bandu person stunk of Benrime's Spiced Cider, so she had better follow them to make sure they would return to the sector safely.

Silently following them, April swore she heard the sound of a jet going overhead, but when she looked nothing was there.

_Odd._ She thought with a grim expression. _But the Balance could be off again and I wouldn't even know it._

Making a mental note, she decided to later find out if anyone else had heard or seen anything peculiar.

* * *

Trish flipped through a magazine on travel as the plane crossed the Atlantic. _I should have brought a book or something. _She thought with annoyance as she sighed.

"Miss?" Trish looked up to see an airline hostess standing next to her. "I am sorry to bother you, but a man requested that I give this to you." The woman held out a hardcover book as Trish's eyes widened.

_He kept it! _Trish thought in amazement before clearing her throat and nodding. "Thank you," she said, accepting the book with a smile before the airline hostess left here alone.

The woman she shared the row with looked at the book in Trish's hands as Trish's memory took her away to another time… Another place… Another…

…Well, another nothing really.

* * *

"_You certainly know what you want to do with your life, don't you?" Colt had asked her in the dark mine as they walked, their footsteps muffled by the water they were knee-deep in._

"_Yes." Trish had responded, sounding almost breathless to her ears._

_Colt looked at her with a lazy smile. "Why, you're blushing Miss Saes." He said, obviously positively amused._

_And just like that, the mood was ruined._

"_What's with that book you were carrying anyway?" He asked conversationally as he tucked his hands behind his head, gracefully wading through the slowly rising water as she glared at her own feet._

"_What's it to you?" She snapped as she stumbled over a submerged pickax._

_Colt, with near-perfect grace, managed to get in front of her and make her stop. "There's nothing wrong with reading a good book, darling." He said as he held her face between his hands._

_Trish felt herself blush more before she looked away, removing his hands with hers. "There is when you end up getting mocked over reading the book." She said quietly._

_Colt pulled her closer, her gaze returning to his._

"_Then you won't mind that I borrowed, will you?" He asked her with a sly grin as her eyes widened._

"_N- Not at all." She managed to say._

_He studied her face for a few breathtaking moments before sighing and releasing her from his strong grip. "You need to work on your poker face, Miss Saes," he said, turning to continue down the tunnel once more, "unless…" She froze as he looked over his shoulder at her, "you don't mind me reading you like a book."_

_Trish scanned his face. His smile was teasing, but his eyes…_

_His eyes said, "Say yes."_

_**I don't know him. I can't love him. Can I?**__ She wondered for a moment before smiling sweetly._

"_The day that I am happy about the status of my poker face, I will let you know. 'Kay?" She asked happily, patting him on the shoulder before heading up the tunnel._

_She heard a slight growl behind her from her travel companion. "You certainly like to leave a man waiting, don't you Patricia?" He had asked as he began following her._

_Trish looked over her shoulder at him with a smirk. "Are you kidding me? That's the best part!" She said before she had tripped and fell head-first into a hole in the tunnel, going underwater._

* * *

"Two years." She whispered, smiling.

"Eh? You say something dear?" The elderly woman next to her asked as Trish snapped out of her reverie.

"What? No." _Not to you at least._ Trish thought with a small grin as she started to open the book to the first page.

A sudden jolt made Trish clutch the book to her chest as other passenger's gasped in horror.

A chuckle came over the speakers, one that was strangely familiar to Trish. She just couldn't place from where…

"Sorry to disturb your pleasant evening folks," the pilot, who sounded American, said, "but we've hit a bit of turbulence, so buckle up, 'cause this flight is about to get bumpy."

"Great," Trish groaned, buckling her seatbelt.

"You know," the elderly woman started as Trish's exhaled through her nostrils, "I was on a flight exactly like this one once. I was seated next to a lady receiving a book from a beau and everything."

"He's not my beau," Trish said between gritted teeth.

The elderly woman waved her hand. "Beau, darling, love, whatever it is you young whippersnappers call the person you're dating."

Trish's eyes widened. "Dating?!" She yelped before they hit more turbulence.

The elderly woman nodded wisely. "Yep, dating. Anyhow, that woman kept blushing about how incredibly nice he was and how he was so charming and handsome, yada yada yada. Anyway-"

_Got a point here, Grandma?!_ Trish thought in annoyance.

"-That was 37 years ago." The woman said with a dreamy sigh as she stared into space.

After several moments of silence, Trish coughed to catch the woman's focus once more.

"What?" The woman asked, clueless.

"The couple 39 years ago?" Trish asked, hopeful to remind the woman just what story she was trying to explain.

"It was 37 years ago, dear." The woman corrected Trish with as she began flipping through a gardening catalogue. "And as I was saying before you so horribly interrupted me," Trish rolled her eyes, "those two were perfect together." She pressed her lips together as she flipped the page of the catalogue, her eyes flashing. "But because he was a hunter…"

Trish froze. "What?" She managed to get past her frozen lips.

"I said he was a _hunter_." The woman enunciated.

Trish's lips silently mouthed the word as tears pooled in her eyes. "And… And what was her name?"

"Natasha… Carlson. Yep, that was the name. Natasha Carlson." The woman said confidently, with a nod of her head.

Trish's eyes closed. "That… Was what I was afraid of."

"And here comes the sunrise. Sure is pretty this time of year." The pilot spoke once more.

Trish's eyes flashed opened. _That… That voice…_

…_Larson._ She snarled, her eyes flashing. _Larson is piloting the plane?!_

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Um… Yeah. Thank you to the person who reviewed the story.

_**Review if you like, don't if you don't want to. Thanks.**_

_**Trained squirrels helped me write this update.**_


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